Publisher's Description

▼▲

Moving home after a recent job loss was supposed to reassure Camden Bristow and give her time to decide what to do next. But when she arrives in Etherton, Ohio, she discovers that her grandmother, who she hasn't talked to in years, has passed away and "home" is an empty mansion 150 years old. Not exactly the comfort Camden was looking for. What happened to the house she played in as a child, the bedtime stories that told of secret passageways and runaway slaves, and all those family memories?

When antiques start disappearing and footsteps are heard, some of those memories start to creep back and Camden wonders if her grandmother's bedtime stories might actually be true. What really happened here . . . at Crescent Hill? How was her grandmother involved? Who still has access to the house? And for what purpose? As she works to uncover the past and present mysteries harbored in her home, Camden also uncovers secrets about her family that could change the town-and her life-forever. "It's history, mystery, and treasure hunt wrapped up in one suspenseful adventure You'll want to keep the lights on while you read Dobson's plot-driven story. She so skillfully sets the scene in this memory- haunting house that you'll hear the creaks and footsteps. And whether lost or redeemed, her believable characters ring true with their genuine faults, all-too-human mistakes, and realistic 'skeletons in the closet.'"--Fiction Editor, Christian Book Distributors

ChristianBookPreviews.com

▼▲

In Melanie Dobsons Refuge on Crescent Hill, Camden Bristows life is in shambles, and the only place she will find welcome is the house she called home so many years ago. This is a story of passion -- passion for justice, passion for truth, and passion for the redeeming God. This passion takes Camden deep into the past, breaking and healing her heart while discovering the secrets of her family.

Refuge on Crescent Hill is presented through four separate narrators, each characters perspective giving pieces of information that come together in the end. The narrators all hale from different backgrounds and their purposes are all necessary to understanding the full story. The emotions and biases of the characters make relationships difficult, but only until they decide to give their hurt to God. The friendship that is rekindled between Camden and Jenny and the romance that brews between Alex and Camden is due to their turning to God and not to themselves for strength. Camden is extremely wary of opening herself to Alex, a man she barely knows. However, with the help of her childhood friend Jenny, Camden becomes familiarized with herself, the people of Etherton, and the God she used to believe in.

Camdens career is over, but Alexs is on its way up. Camden retreats to the only stable place she knows, but the refuge she seeks is not provided as she had hoped at Crescent Hill. She seeks peace, but this place only hands her trials and more stress than she already carries. All Camden wants is to be back on her feet. While Camden is on a quest for a way out of the small town of Etherton, Alex is on a quest to grow this town to the potential he sees to keep his job, and he thinks he has finally found the way through Camdens newly inherited property. Instead, he realizes that the people giving him opposition are not who or what they seem. Camden and Alex choose to stop running from what scares them and to start seeking truth. Matthew 7:7 says, Seek and you will find, and they do find more than they bargained for.

Camden knows what she wants, when she wants it. She fights for what she thinks is best for her, but her selfish impatience does not consider others. She does stop focusing on just herself as the story progresses, showing her growth in God. Alex desperately wants to forgive himself for past mistakes, but he is unwilling to lay down his bitterness. He needs Camden just as much as she needs him; their strengths are each others weaknesses, and they are able to learn and grow together because of them.

I found myself not being able to stop turning page after page. Preteens up to grown women will enjoy this novel. It is perfect for a rainy day or relaxing weekend. Melanie Dobson will have you wanting more after every chapter, so dont wait to discover the mysteries on Crescent Hill.  Kyla Martin, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com